Top Colon Diseases To Watch Out For
There are several kinds of colon diseases. Some merely cause mild irritation, while others are life-threatening. The four most common types of colon diseases are: Crohn’s disease, the development of polyps, diverticular disease, and ulcerative colitis. All these are easily detectable with the correct medical test, so early detection is merely a matter of paying more attention to one’s health and the willingness to undergo regular medical examinations.
Crohn’s Disease is a chronic, progressive, and inflammatory disease of the bowel. It mostly affects the last part of the small intestine and/or the colon. Symptoms of Crohn’s Disease include the following: abdominal pain, anal pain, cramping, bloating, diarrhea, fever, weight loss, skin lesions, rectal abscess, fissure, and joint pain. There may also be serious and persistent bleeding, which can lead to anemia. Persons with this disease may also experience fatigue and irritability. Nutritional deficiencies also arise.
Crohn’s Disease also manifests itself in the skin. There may be sores or ulcers that tunnel through the affected area into the surrounding tissues, like the bladder, vagina, or other skin areas, especially around the anus and rectum, which can become infected. There is no single cure for this disease, although initial treatment usually involves medication to suppress the inflammatory response and relieve the symptoms. In most patients, surgery is eventually required to remove the diseased portion of the bowel.
Another one of the top colon diseases, colon polyps, are mushroom-shaped abnormal growths that line the large intestine and protrude into the intestinal canal. While there are non-cancerous polyps, colorectal cancer typically develops from pre-cancerous polyps in the colon or rectum.
Most polyps have no symptoms and are often discovered only during an x-ray of the bowel, or an endoscopy. However, some polyps, like other colon diseases, produce mucous discharge, bleeding, noticeable changes in bowel function, or, in rare cases, abdominal pain. Doctors advise the complete removal of polyps to prevent the development of cancer.
Diverticular disease is a colon disease wherein pockets, or diverticula, develop in the colon wall. The inflammation of these pockets, or complications caused by it, is called diverticulitis. Infection can cause the swelling or rupturing of the diverticula, abscesses, bowel blockage, or leaks through the bowel wall. Bacteria may enter small tears in the surface of the bowel, leading to small abscesses. In few cases, the infection spreads and breaks through the colon wall, causing peritonitis or sores in the abdomen. This can be life threatening.
Like many colon diseases, diverticular disease usually doesn’t cause discomfort or symptoms in most patients. However, patients with this disease can experience mild cramps, bloating, and constipation. The most common symptom of diverticulitis is abdominal pain and tenderness around the left side of the lower abdomen. If there is an infection, fever, nausea, vomiting, chills, cramping, and constipation may also occur.
Treatments for diverticular disease include oral antibiotics, dietary restrictions, and stool softeners. Sometimes, a high-fiber diet is the only treatment needed, although surgery may be required depending on the complications.
Finally, the last of the top colon diseases to watch out for is ulcerative colitis. This disease is an inflammation that occurs in the innermost lining of the colon and rectum. Tiny ulcers form on the surface of the lining, where they bleed and produce mucus and pus. The inflammation often begins in the rectum and lower colon, but it may also involve the entire colon. Symptoms of this disease may include abdominal pain, bloating, constipation or diarrhea, rectal bleeding, weight loss, fatigue, or fever.
The first step in the treatment of ulcerative colitis is the prescription of anti-inflammatory drugs, but in many cases, complications usually arise. Colon surgery may also be needed.
If you have been diagnosed with any of these colon diseases, find out more about your diagnosis, so you can make wise decisions about your options.
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